


you don't have to be alone

by ginafics



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-23 02:47:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16610420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ginafics/pseuds/ginafics
Summary: Yukhei hates his elective class SO MUCH, thank god for a mark lee to brighten his mondays.





	you don't have to be alone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kimyerim](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimyerim/gifts).



> this is apparently the failed attempt of writing because im a dumb bitch. Lmao i hope you like this anyway.
> 
> this is unbeta-ed as always, and english is not my first language, so please ignore grammatical errors and stuff

Yukhei hates his elective class. Despite how other people see him as, whether it’s as the class clown or the dumb jock, he always loves to learn new things. Thus, he would always choose an elective that intrigued him, which then resulted in him having to sit through a 3 hours class of Popular Culture Studies every Monday. Honestly, the class would actually be fun if the teacher is not currently taking a maternity leave and abandon them with an incapable substitute. The substitute is the absolute worse in Yukhei’s eyes because not only that he’s old and doesn’t understand shit about the current pop culture that is happening in the world, but he also doesn’t care. He would come to the class and spend the next three hours either scrolling through his phone or, on some occasion where he’s feeling brave, he actually sleeps through the lesson. And _God_ Yukhei hates it so much because everyone is wasting their time doing whatever for no one can go home until the bell rings. He might actually skip the class if he doesn’t have a detention limit to keep his position in the soccer club each semester, which he currently has used 2 out 3 detention. Yeah, he’s currently in a pretty tight situation.

However, sometimes Yukhei thinks he can bear the class for the next 7 months as he has endured the last five months in a stride. Well, not that the class is a struggle because he doesn’t have to do anything anyway in the class, but at least he also doesn’t have to endure the boredom of doing nothing in class because he has Mark Lee. The first time he met the boy was on the first day of class, Yukhei was running late and all of the other seat had been taken, except the one beside a small looking boy on the third row in the middle of the class. Yukhei had gave the boy his biggest grin when introducing himself, probably scaring the other boy, guessing by how large his eyes widened. But after a few painful moment of silent, the smaller guy had seemed to recover and offered his own smile, extending his hand for Yukhei to shake. Ever since that day, they had been sitting together. Yukhei had thought that Mark was a silent and timid boy, but his notions changed on the third class with the new substitute. Mark had angrily ranted to him about how annoying their class is, even to the point of bad mouthing the teacher (not that he doesn’t deserve it, mind you) right in the middle of their class. The teacher was sleeping, and everyone else was being so loud doing whatever they want, and Yukhei was absolutely enraptured in a feisty speech of a 175cm man about how popular culture is underrated and it’s something that nowadays youth should know and understand because it is their culture, but even their school is robbing them of their rights because the teacher is an inadequate piece of shit. Yukhei couldn’t wipe the grin off his face and he knew he might look dumb, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the way the evening sun rays highlighted the side of Mark’s face, soaking his high cheekbone in orange hue and deepening the contrast of the deep slope of his face. Yukhei realized at that day a spirited Mark Lee is a beautiful Mark Lee and he would do just about anything that the younger asked, including sabotaging the class and harassing the teacher with ridiculous activities every week just to shed off some boredom.

And that’s how their ritual happened in the first place. Every Friday Yukhei would get invited to Mark’s house after soccer practice to plan their new prank of the week, and then they would spend the weekend perfecting their prank and also helping each other in doing homework because apparently Mark is good in Advance English and Yukhei is good in Advance Biology. It’s a good routine for the both of them because despite being in the same year, they both took different classes and they couldn’t exactly hang out after school. Yukhei has his soccer practice almost everyday, and this is their only opportunity to actually know each other. Yukhei likes this routine. He just hopes that Mark won’t feel uncomfortable with the situation.

Well, months passed by after that important day, and now they’re more or less friends according to Yukhei’s logic since it has been five months of them knowing each other and scheming together. So when Monday comes and Mark only answers his blinding grin with a timid smile, he brushes it away as Mark having bad day. (Well, it’s Monday, it sure is everyone’s bad day.) However, it continues and it leaves Yukhei completely confused as to what he has done. Mark keeps leaving him on read, and rejecting his call, and turning the other way around when Yukhei approaches him at school, and, _fuck,_ Yukhei is damn concern, and he’s probably going to fucking explode any day now because he just wants to know whether the smaller guy is okay, but he’s making it so hard for Yukhei to just _asks._ By Thursday, Yukhei already gets the message and stops his attempts to contact Mark. He doesn’t know where it went wrong but if Mark decided that Yukhei is not going to be a part of his life then it’s his decision. It might sting a little, but he’s gonna be okay. _(No, he’s definitely not okay. It hurts.)_

By Friday, Yukhei knows he misses Mark. (It’s quite clear honestly, especially by the amount of texts Yukhei has typed out but doesn’t have the courage to actually send as he wait for his practice to start.) Yukhei decides that it doesn’t matter if he actually sends it, as Mark would just read it without responding anyway. But he knows that he would regret not sending anything as there is always that 1% chance of Mark actually answering, and so his finger taps on the send button, hoping for the best that Mark would be kind enough to reject the offer of scheming a new plan instead of leaving Yukhei on another read.

_To: Lion Cub_

_Hey, Mark, are we looking for another plan tonight? (Read 6.23 p.m.)_

By Sunday night, Yukhei has already contemplated to skip Monday classes by calling in sick for the nth time, but again he has responsibilities on the soccer team. He can be a coward when he passed the class, but Monday means facing his fears to actually meet Mark and maybe confront him, if he was feeling super brave. Monday comes as life doesn’t wait for anybody and Yukhei is currently fidgeting with the loose string of his sweater because it’s January, and it’s cold, and damn Mark is not yet in the class, and it’s making Yukhei really anxious because what if Mark decided to skip class today, what if he despised Yukhei so much he rather skipped and failed the class. (Yeah, Yukhei is currently a mess to the point that his classmates have started to give him cautious nervous glances.)

However his doubts and fearful thoughts are proven untrue as Mark walks leisurely into class with an easy smile on his face right 10 seconds before the bell rings, followed by the substitute teacher. At first, Yukhei feels relief coursing through his chest because Mark surely is okay if there’s an easy smile blooming from his lips, but the realization hits him a second after. _Mark is okay, no one can say the same thing about Yukhei._ Mark has really decided to actually cut Yukhei out of his life and it’s clear now because apparently it’s not affecting Mark. The lost of Yukhei’s presence is not affecting Mark, and for fuck sake is that the sound of Yukhei’s heart cracking?

“As most of you must have probably known, this is my last day of teaching this class-” Yukhei’s thoughts are being rudely interrupted by Mark’s ironic snorts, most probably drawing everyone’s attention to the smaller boy. The teacher continues on blabbering about something Yukhei doesn’t care enough to even try to listen when no one responds to Mark’s reaction.

“Would you believe that? He had the audacity to call it teaching…” Yukhei stares at Mark with his utmost disbelief, making Mark stares back at him in in confusion.

“What?”

“You…” Yukhei has to take a gulp of breath in order to calm himself down, “you talked to me…” He finally says in a defeated tone, avoiding the gaze Mark’s is giving him because _God, this is pathetic._  He feels pathetic for being the only one who is apparently too invested in their friendship. _Not friendship._ Yukhei’s brain whispers loudly as if trying to remind him of the reasons why this amount of pain is justified, why Yukhei ended up being way too invested, why his heart clenches painfully every time the _read_ notifications don’t get followed immediately with a typing bubble. Because something inside him noticed it first before his heart could actually understand. Because somewhere in between fiery speech of popular culture under the glint of sunset and the weekly scheming routine to sabotage the substitute teacher’s class, Yukhei had actually went and fallen for the guy. This revelation is somehow both expected but also so bizarre that Yukhei is left breathless in his chair.

“Yukhei?” Yukhei hears Mark trying to grasp his attention, but he can’t afford to cater to Mark for now. He has to prevent his heart from swelling from his crush realization and breaking from the fact that it is most likely not reciprocated. “Yukhei!” He looks at the younger when he finally snapped.

“What?”

“What do you mean _what?_ i asked you why is it a surprise for me to talk to you? We talked before? Probably not everyday, but I don’t know... definitely every Monday, Friday, and the weekend?” Mark’s expression at that point of time is so comically confused, as if Yukhei had spewed out the most insensible things in the world, like the Earth is in a donut shape or whatever. And, _wow,_ does it boil Yukhei’s blood.

“Yeah Mark? Tell that to my ignored texts for the past few days, tell that to the quickening sound of your shoes when you turn around before I can meet you, tell that to every worried fucking call message you probably haven’t heard until now.” Yukhei says while wondering whether he looks as spirited and fiery talking about Mark Lee just as spirited and fiery Mark talked about popular culture. _Huh, as if anyone can beat how beautiful he looked that day._ Yukhei feels winded. Fuck, he needs fresh air. “Sorry, I have no right to be mad, it’s your decision anyway. Excuse me.” Yukhei stands up quickly, making his chair scraped loudly against the tiles. The teacher looks at him before rolling his eyes and goes back to napping. In that few beats of pause, Mark has managed to shake himself out of his shock stupor and grasp Yukhei’s wrist, preventing the older to walk away.

“Yukhei sits back down.” Yukhei’s snapped so fast to look at the smaller boy at his order. _Who the fuck does he think he is?_

“Mark, let go.”

“No, please sit down.” Yukhei is not going to sit down. Mostly because he doesn’t think he will be able to endure anymore onslaught to his fragile heart, but there’s another part that just want to spite on Mark. What Yukhei fails to calculate is how persistent and strong Mark Lee can actually be. He feels more than see the way Mark pulls on his wrist to his side and hits the back of his knees with his leg, making Yukhei loses balance and falls to his awaiting chair. Yukhei is still trying to recuperate with his shock when Mark’s face is suddenly very close to his face. With a distant feelings, Yukhei realizes that Mark has straddled Yukhei’s thigh, and plopped down on his lap for a good measure so that Yukhei can’t move anywhere. The idea itself has managed to make Yukhei’s panic state of brain burns on fire because having Mark’s beautiful face right 5 cm before his face has already more than overwhelming, but now Mark is also on his lap, staring at him with that desperate glint on his eyes.

“Please, let me explain… I can expla-” Mark’s pleads are suddenly interrupted as the class bursts out singing happy birthday as loud and as obnoxious as they can, probably trying to annoy the hell out of the teacher. A pained expression runs through Mark’s face in a split second as the door is suddenly slammed open, revealing a very tall guy with a grin slapped across his face and a smaller soft looking guy whose eyes are filled with mischief and glee. The new people Yukhei doesn’t recognize are currently joining in singing the loud happy birthday song, and Yukhei realizes that they’re bringing a chocolate birthday cake, with candles in the shape of 19 on top of the cake.

Yukhei is so goddamn confused right now.

However Mark is looking more embarrassed by the seconds, and Yukhei lets out a small pained noise when he realizes how Mark is trying to make himself smaller in Yukhei’s laps.

“Mark, are you okay?” Yukhei tries to rubs small soothing circles on the smaller’s back, because no matter how confused Yukhei is, no matter how hurt he is, he can’t just stop caring about Mark’s well-being. Then when the tall and small guys finally stand before Yukhei’s desk, everyone finishes the song. Yukhei pours his attention back to the guy on his lap, as Mark glares at every single person in the room.

“Wrong timing.” he has hissed, leaving Yukhei even more confused than before. Then Mark takes a deep breath and looks at Yukhei again. “I am sorry. I can explain everything, please don’t be mad at me…” Yukhei keeps his silent as if to urge Mark to just ends his misery and confusion. “I heard that today is your birthday.” Mark starts, and Yukhei witnesses the way the younger’s cheeks and ears turn red. “And I want to surprised you.” Mark ends up burying his face on Yukhei’s shoulder, eliciting a surprise noise from the taller guy’s end.

“Why did you ignore me?”

“I realized now how bad that idea was, but as you have known I’m rarely good at ideas. And I am just very bad at surprises, so I think it would be good to just avoid you all together because I really don’t want my stupid self to ruin my own surprise. I am really sorry, I just want you to have a nice birthday while celebrating the end of that incapable substitute teacher’s reign.” Yukhei feels like bursting out in laughter because that just sounds like a Mark Lee's kind of plan, and for god’s sake Yukhei can feel his heart swelling inside his chest, filled with both warmth and sweet, _sweet_ relief because the younger doesn’t hate him.

“Mark Lee, you stupid imbecile! I told you to tell us the plan, but you said _oh no, it’s all taken care off,_ I swear to God by this point you two will only get together after you’re old and gray!” The smaller guy who came with the tall guy sounds very done of Mark, but Yukhei can’t help to focus on the very last part of the speech.

“What do you mean by getting together?” And the small guy grunts tiredly to the tall guy.

“Johnny, help me! They’re both idiots!”

“Hyuck, be nice…” The tall guy, Johnny, tuts and scolds the smaller who is apparently called Hyuck. Hyuck is now pouting in distaste. “It means Mark likes you, Yukhei, and he’s trying to woo you by making this surprise. We’re sorry that his idiotic plan has seemed to hurt you in the progress, but trust me when I say he only has good intentions in his heart.” Johnny says to a very flustered Yukhei because they’re clearly teasing him by the way Johnny is trying to hide a smirk and the blatant way of Hyuck snickering. Yukhei looks at Mark, finding the boy is currently as red as a tomato.

“Mark, you know there’s a reason why we always use _my_ plan to annoy the teacher every week.” Mark looks at his lap and nods dejectedly, making Yukhei smiles at the absurdity of the situation. Mark likes him. Mark likes him and had wanted to surprise him for his birthday. _God, Mark likes him. Mark Lee likes Wong Yukhei and this is his way to woo Yukhei._ Yukhei doesn’t know whether all of this is real, but he doesn’t want to let this dream slips away from his grasp. And so he rests his forehead on Mark’s shoulder and tightens his hold on Mark’s waist. “And I missed you. God, I miss you so much.”

“I’m sorry…” Mark says quietly.

“Please don’t ever go radio silence on me without prior notice ever again. It hurts.” Mark lets out a small pained noise that makes Yukhei’s heart clenches.

“I’m sorry, no more, I promise.”

“Do you know why it hurts so bad, Mark?” Yukhei asks even more quietly, believing that their distance will let Mark hears his voice just as clear. He feels Mark shaking his head, and Yukhei grins because he can’t hold it any longer. “Because I like you too. I like you so much, Mark Lee. Thank you for the surprise, I love it.” Yukhei finally gathers the courage to look at the younger on his eyes. “Thank you.”

“Happy birthday…” Yukhei can detect the surprise and underlying hesitation in Mark’s voice, which help him to steeled his nerve and just go for it.

Mark’s lips is not something that Yukhei has ever imagined of tasting, mostly because he’s an idiot and just realizes his crush on this very day. But they’re warm and very, _very_ soft that Yukhei can’t hold himself back from sighing happily. Kissing Mark Lee evokes some unknown feelings Yukhei has never felt before, for starter he never felt the urge to actually taste someone’s lips, but his tongue greedily sweeps against Mark’s bottom lips again because _goodness gracious_ Mark’s lips taste like the sweetest artificial strawberry ever. (They have strawberry flavored jello for dessert in canteen today. Yukhei hates it.) Yukhei loses himself in the kiss when Mark finally gathers his courage to actually kiss Yukhei’s back. Yukhei doesn’t know how long it has been, but when Johnny clears his throat loudly, he deems it has been long enough to make the atmosphere uncomfortable. Yukhei doesn’t give up his opportunity to peck Mark’s lips thrice though, he’ll regret it if he just stops.

“You like me?” Mark asks again, chest heaving and lungs greedy for air as if they have been running a marathon.

“I like you, Mark Lee.” Yukhei witnesses another rendition of Mark blushing from head to toe before the younger asks him shyly.

“Take me out on a date?”

“I’ll be happy to. I’ll pick you up after my practice this Friday.”

“Yes, yes, this is nice and all, EVERYONE MARK LEE IS NOW DATING WONG YUKHEI," Hyuck suddenly shouts to the class, laughing loudly at the scandalized face of the substitute's teacher who has slammed the door close on his way out, "-but can we fast forward to the candles blowing because I’m tired of standing here and your teacher has probably went to the principle office to give all of us a detention, and I don’t want to waste a good chocolate cake PLEASE!” Hyuck whines loudly, making Mark and Johnny laughs.

“It’s okay, I have receipts that he never taught us anything, anyway. We’re safe. However, he’s right, happy birthday, Wong Yukhei.” Mark says as he starts another loud _happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you~~_ Yukhei finds himself grinning happily while the others join to sing just for the fun of it. He had gotten another year ahead of him, and hopefully a loving boyfriend to fill his days with mischief and happiness. Yukhei will definitely pass this class with flying colors.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/gay_n_shitty)


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